Nikon(R) Unveils The New D200(TM) Digital SLR Camera

10.2 Megapixel D200 Digital SLR Delivers Outstanding Image Quality with
Blazing Speed, Rugged Construction and Intelligent Features

MELVILLE, N.Y., Nov. 1 /PRNewswire/ -- Nikon (http://www.nikondigital.com)
today introduced the highly anticipated new D200 -- a precision-engineered,
high performance digital SLR camera designed to satisfy the requirements of
passionate and demanding photographers. Combining brand new technologies with
advanced features inherited from Nikon's venerable D2X professional digital
SLR camera, the D200 incorporates more must-have features than any other
camera in its class, enabling photographers to capture images in a way once
reserved only for professionals.
The D200 promises an extremely satisfying shooting experience, with a
winning combination of quality, performance, construction and advanced system
features. Employing a newly developed 10.2 effective megapixel Nikon DX
Format CCD image sensor, the D200 captures images with remarkable resolution
and clarity. Its sophisticated 1005-pixel 3D Color Matrix Metering II system
ensures ideal exposures while an advanced Nikon image processing engine
renders images with superb clarity and smooth color gradations. The D200
reacts with lightening speed, powering-up in a mere 0.15 seconds, and firing
in an imperceptible 50 millisecond shutter release lag time. It can shoot
five frames per second with a drastically shortened viewfinder blackout time
of just 105 milliseconds between shots. Its large, bright viewfinder offers
0.94x magnification for comfortable and precise composition while a new
2.5 inch LCD screen provides ultra-wide 170 degrees viewing angle from all
directions. With an all new 11-area Autofocus system, robust control of
Nikon's i-TTL Creative Lighting System and advanced Wi-Fi image-transmission
options*, the D200 is a perfect fit for discriminating photographers and a
natural choice for wedding, event and action photographers.
"Nikon has spent considerable time and effort to truly understand the
qualities and features photographers desire in an advanced digital SLR camera.
The D200 embodies this research and delivers a camera that's built to the
requirements of passionate photographers, and meets demands for resolution,
speed, precision, and ultimate image quality. The D200 represents an
unmatched combination of quality, performance and value that's hard to
resist," said Edward Fasano, general manager for Marketing, SLR Systems
Products, at Nikon Inc. "The D200 is hands-down the most capable digital SLR
camera in its category."

SMARTER ...

The D200 embodies a host of intelligent technologies that deliver
remarkably precise control and accurate automatic features. Equipped with
Nikon's exclusive 1,005 pixel 3D Color Matrix Metering II, the D200 seamlessly
determines ideal exposures even in complex lighting conditions. Capturing
scene elements including brightness, contrast and color content with a unique
1,005-pixel RGB-enabled sensor, this advanced system employs further improved
algorithms for even better evaluation of large area highlight and shadow
detail. The 3D Color Matrix Metering II light metering system also uses an
onboard database of detailed exposure information from over 30,000 actual
images against which instantaneous real-time comparisons are made as part of
determining exposures. Rather than merely looking at light levels, a complex,
yet transparent evaluation of overall scene content takes place, ensuring
highly accurate exposures, even in challenging lighting conditions.
The 10.2 effective megapixel image sensor on the D200 incorporates a
high-speed 4-channel data output and a new Optical Low Pass Filter that
significantly reduces any incidence of moire as well as color fringing and
shifting. Furthermore, 4-channel output allows the D200 to inherit the
advanced image-processing engine of the Nikon D2x professional digital SLR
that combines color-independent preconditioning prior to A/D conversion with
advanced digital image processing algorithms to deliver fine color gradations
with smooth, consistent transitions. Photographers can take advantage of the
D200's advanced image optimizing functionality that allows them to fine tune
image characteristics such as sharpness, tone, color, saturation, and hue.
Photographers can also select from preset options like Normal, Softer, Vivid,
More Vivid, Portrait and Black-and-White.
One of the most notable new features of the D200 is its all new 11-area AF
system, convertible to a 7-wide area AF system, both based on Nikon's advanced
Multi-Cam 1000 AF Sensor Module. Not only does this AF system support the
photographer with fast and precise auto focus under a variety of shooting
conditions, but it also offers a pleasing array of functions for greater
flexibility -- allowing an individual area to be selected from either the
11-area AF or 7-wide area AF sensors for Single AF or making use of multiple
sensors to enable Dynamic AF, Closest Subject Priority Dynamic AF and Group
Dynamic AF.
Running out of power on the D200 is harder than ever, since in addition to
its remarkable capacity of up to 1800 shots per charge, the D200 also features
an intelligent power management Fuel Gauge feature that constantly monitors
the battery's precise remaining power in 1% increments. It also displays the
total number of shots taken on each charge as well as overall life of the
battery, so photographers can easily tell when to replace a battery.
The D200 is a wireless whiz, and features Nikon's advanced i-TTL wireless
Speedlight control built right into the camera, as well as wireless image
transfer over a 802.11b/g Wi-Fi network built into the optional WT-3 Wireless
Transmitter (available Spring 2006). The camera's powerful built-in
Speedlight, capable of coverage for lenses as wide as 18mm, features a
Commander Mode that can wirelessly control up to two separate groups of an
unlimited number of i-TTL speedlights such as the SB-800, SB-600 or SB-R200.
The Commander Mode in the D200 can adjust flash compensation settings for each
of the two groups on the fly, making light output control from speedlights
placed in hard to reach locations simple and effortless.

FASTER ...

The D200 is faster than any other camera in its class, making its handling
exceptionally responsive. The D200 can shoot continuously at up to five
frames per second, capturing up to an impressive 37 JPEG images** or up to
22 NEF (RAW) images, making it ideal for action, wedding and event
photography. Featuring an industry leading power-up time of 0.15 seconds, the
D200 is ready to shoot when the photographer is ready. Its reduced shutter
release time lag of 50 milliseconds is nearly undetectable and when shooting
in its continuous burst mode of five frames per second, its shortened
viewfinder blackout time (between each successive shot) of just 105
milliseconds proves especially useful in keeping an eye on a moving subject.

STRONGER ...

The D200 is designed with long term durability, ruggedness and precision
in mind. Built on a magnesium alloy chassis and body cover, the D200 combines
light weight with high-level durability and protects performance integrity.
It also features an enhanced environmental sealing system that helps protect
exterior seams from potentially damaging moisture and dust. The D200's
double-bladed shutter unit is tested to well over 100,000 cycles, ensuring
highly reliable performance year after year. The shutter unit also employs a
refined mirror balance mechanism that allows the mirror to complete its motion
cycle and reach a complete stop with virtually no image degrading mirror
bounce.

The Ultimate Shooting Experience

Nikon is renowned for the distinct usability and handling of its digital
SLRs, and the D200 continues this tradition. Photographers handling the
camera will immediately notice its large, bright viewfinder with 0.94x
magnification that ensures the clearest view possible for precise composition.
Viewing excellence is taken further with an expansive 2.5-inch high-resolution
LCD that provides an ultra-wide 170 degree viewing angle from all directions.
It also offers the ability to magnify images by up to 400% to enable
photographers to closely inspect images for fine details while offering a
selectable RGB histogram display, which allows photographers to make
better-informed exposure decisions through the viewing of a composite RGB
histogram, or a separate histogram for each individual color channel. The Nikon D200
also features the largest top LCD panel among cameras in its class to convey
maximum information at a glance with easy access to shooting data including
shooting mode, battery condition, card information, gridline display, shutter
speed, F-stop and number of remaining shots.
Refined menus on the Nikon D200 offer a streamlined and visually enhanced view
of camera setup and custom setting options. Photographers can access an
expanded on-board Help feature to view brief descriptions of every one of the
camera's menu items. The D200 also features a 'Recent Settings' menu that
reflects the last 14 settings adjusted, offering a quick way to revisit these
settings.

Nikon's Digital Imaging System

Like all Nikon SLR cameras, the Nikon D200 also offers the advantages of
compatibility with Nikon's superior and comprehensive Digital Imaging System.
High image quality is assured through compatibility with over 50 outstanding
AF Nikkor lenses, including Nikon's DX Nikkor lenses engineered exclusively
for use with Nikon digital SLRs and an extensive array of AF Nikkors designed
for use on digital and 35mm SLRs. The D200 also offers compatibility with the
Nikon Creative Lighting System, enabling high-precision flash photography with
SB-800, SB-600 and the Nikon Wireless Close-up Lighting Systems. Outlined
below are groundbreaking technologies and system features that enable
photographers to achieve results not possible with any other system:

New Wireless Transmitter WT-3 (Available Spring 2006)
Nikon is leading the imaging world with wireless image transfer technology
via Wi-Fi. The Nikon D200 marks the announcement of the Wireless Transmitter WT-3,
offering photographers creative new ways to set up their workflow. The new
IEEE 802.11b/g compatible Wireless Transmitter WT-3 provides fast image
transmission with improved security and compatibility with the latest
protocols. It also provides alternative buttons for shutter release and
AF-start as well as an extra command dial to facilitate more comfortable
shooting in vertical format.

i-TTL Speedlight Technology
Nikon's i-TTL speedlight technology is arguably the most robust and
advanced speedlight system in the world, and holds limitless possibilities for
all kinds of photographers using creative lighting. i-TTL technology built-in
to the D200 allows photographers to wirelessly control in full TTL, up to
2 groups of Speedlights, with any number of individual speedlights in each
group. Photographers can shed all cords and cables or the need to ever
calculate flash and distance ratios, because the i-TTL systems is capable of
making all exposure calculations in real time, wirelessly, during the exposure
to deliver a perfect flash exposure in any situation. Photographers can even
maintain full output control of each group of speedlights from the D200's
built-in speedlight. This technology can potentially distill an entire
portrait lighting system into a small set of multiple SB800, SB600 or SB-R200
Speedlights.

Nikkor(R) Lenses
As a company that built its reputation with the superb quality of its
lenses, Nikon's renowned Nikkor(R) brand of optics offer Nikon D200 users a
tremendous choice of over 50 high quality lenses ranging from highly
specialized exotic ones such as the AF DX Fisheye-Nikkor 10.5mm f/2.8G ED to
broad zoom range lenses for everyday photography, such as the newly announced
AF-S DX VR Zoom-Nikkor 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G IF-ED lens. The D200 is compatible
with DX Nikkor lenses that are optimized for Nikon's digital SLR camera
sensors as well as legendary AF Nikkor lenses, delivering outstanding system
digital SLR flexibility. This ensures that D200 users will always find a high
quality Nikkor lens that's just perfect for their photography.

Nikon PictureProject and Capture 4.4 Software
The D200 will include a complimentary copy of Nikon's PictureProject
software, a $49.95 value, and an easy-to-use yet powerful software application
that provides image transfer, organization, editing, and design functions for
JPEG and NEF (RAW) images produced with the camera. PictureProject can also
convert NEF (RAW) files to JPEG or TIFF format finished files, as well as save
in the original NEF file format. PictureProject is an essential accessory and
is compatible with the new D200 and all prior Nikon digital SLR models and
Coolpix Models. The D200 is also compatible with Nikon Capture 4.4 software
(sold separately), a new version of Capture that has the specifications to
open NEF files from the D200 and all other Nikon digital SLR models. This
newest version features greatly enhanced NEF (RAW) processing capabilities as
well as Nikon Capture Camera Control that allows remote camera operation when
connected to a computer via the included USB cable or wirelessly using the new
Wireless Transmitter WT-3 (sold separately). This versatility is especially
useful when photographers may need to continue shooting with their D200 while
simultaneously having someone else edit incoming images.
The NEF (RAW) files from the D200 comprise not only the RAW image data
captured by the 10.2 effective megapixel image sensor but also a thumbnail
image and a Nikon "Instruction Set" of the cameras settings at the time of
shooting. NEF allows the Instruction Set data -- such as white balance, color
balance and tone curves and more -- to be adjusted for each recorded image at
any time after shooting through the use of Nikon Capture software. Use of
Nikon Capture also allows a NEF file to be saved as a NEF, ensuring a record
of the original Instruction Set is always preserved, even if several newer
Instruction Sets are saved to the file. This ensures that photographers never
loose the original settings and image data of a NEF (RAW) file, and reverting
back to the original image requires just a few clicks in Capture software.
Version 4.4 of Nikon Capture software offers a flexible, stable and
creative workflow approach for any photographer in both professional and
personal use through Nikon's unique approach referred to as the "Camera to NEF
to Capture Dynamic Link" performance. Newly added features for Capture
include automatic highlight recovery when using Exposure Compensation at
values lower than 0 EV and Black and White conversion support in Tone
Compensation.
The D200 will be available in late December 2005 for an estimated selling
price of $1699.95***. For more information, please visit
http://www.nikondigital.com.

Via Official Press Release.